Desi Doubts, by South Asian Americans for Change

In the season finale, Sonalee and Rupal are tired (when are they not). But they take their combined exhaustion and answer a series of calls with their unfiltered, authentic reactions. They honestly have no idea what to expect. And they really hate surprises.  
The Desi Doubts podcast—brought to you by the explosive and wildly successful 501(3)(c) nonprofit South Asian Americans for Change—tackles stigmas, limiting beliefs and misinformation that come with being South Asian. Cohosts Sonalee Joshi, PhD (researcher, therapist, writer, visual artist) and Rupal Joshi (Co-founder of SAAFC, lawyer, single mom) delve deep in to conversations that are filled with laughs, tips backed by expertise and research, and real lived experience, so you can reframe your mindset on mental health and wellness to live your BEST life, on your OWN terms (not based on stigmas and misinformation that no longer serve us).

Despite what we are taught to believe, mental health doesn’t have to be a solitary journey. We can all get by with a little help from our friends. In this episode, Rupal and Sonalee are joined by their best friends, Keerthi Channarasappa, DO and Afsara Zaheed, PhD to talk about how their friendships have supported each of their mental health journeys. The group talks about how platonic relationships are deemphasized in our society and how the systematic elimination of “third spaces” has made it more difficult to make new friends. Dr. Zaheed also talks about the research behind social connection and aging and how it’s not just important for us to have friends, it’s important for our Moms too.
The Desi Doubts podcast—brought to you by the explosive and wildly successful 501(3)(c) nonprofit South Asian Americans for Change—tackles stigmas, limiting beliefs and misinformation that come with being South Asian. Cohosts Sonalee Joshi, PhD (researcher, therapist, writer, visual artist) and Rupal Joshi (Co-founder of SAAFC, lawyer, single mom) delve deep in to conversations that are filled with laughs, tips backed by expertise and research, and real lived experience, so you can reframe your mindset on mental health and wellness to live your BEST life, on your OWN terms (not based on stigmas and misinformation that no longer serve us).

When you have started to do the work, one of the first relationships you have to work on is the one you have with yourself. SAAFC Director of Outreach & Sponsorship, Ravi Patel joins Sonalee and Rupal to discuss what self love and self compassion look like in the Desi community. They discuss the claim that to love anyone else, the pitfalls of self care culture, what self love looks like for South Asian men, and what it means if you don’t love yourself. 
The Desi Doubts podcast—brought to you by the explosive and wildly successful 501(3)(c) nonprofit South Asian Americans for Change—tackles stigmas, limiting beliefs and misinformation that come with being South Asian. Cohosts Sonalee Joshi, PhD (researcher, therapist, writer, visual artist) and Rupal Joshi (Co-founder of SAAFC, lawyer, single mom) delve deep in to conversations that are filled with laughs, tips backed by expertise and research, and real lived experience, so you can reframe your mindset on mental health and wellness to live your BEST life, on your OWN terms (not based on stigmas and misinformation that no longer serve us).

Once you’ve accepted that something needs to change, you have to find a place to start. Psychiatrist and SAAFC Director of Education and Development, Dr. Nithya Cherukuru joins Sonalee and Rupal to provide guidance on how to find the right fit when you seek out a mental health provider. They discuss the difference between types of mental health providers and common questions that people have about starting therapy or medication such as: do I need to find a South Asian therapist?
The Desi Doubts podcast—brought to you by the explosive and wildly successful 501(3)(c) nonprofit South Asian Americans for Change—tackles stigmas, limiting beliefs and misinformation that come with being South Asian. Cohosts Sonalee Joshi, PhD (researcher, therapist, writer, visual artist) and Rupal Joshi (Co-founder of SAAFC, lawyer, single mom) delve deep in to conversations that are filled with laughs, tips backed by expertise and research, and real lived experience, so you can reframe your mindset on mental health and wellness to live your BEST life, on your OWN terms (not based on stigmas and misinformation that no longer serve us).

How do the things you do help you become the person you want to be? In this bonus episode, Rupal Joshi and Dr. Sonalee Joshi discuss the importance of making choices that align with your values and priorities. 
The Desi Doubts podcast—brought to you by the explosive and wildly successful 501(3)(c) nonprofit South Asian Americans for Change—tackles stigmas, limiting beliefs and misinformation that come with being South Asian. Cohosts Sonalee Joshi, PhD (researcher, therapist, writer, visual artist) and Rupal Joshi (Co-founder of SAAFC, lawyer, single mom) delve deep in to conversations that are filled with laughs, tips backed by expertise and research, and real lived experience, so you can reframe your mindset on mental health and wellness to live your BEST life, on your OWN terms (not based on stigmas and misinformation that no longer serve us). 

Making changes is hard. Sometimes you just want to throw in the towel. In this bonus episode, Rupal Joshi and Dr. Sonalee Joshi discuss how to bounce back when you’re feeling unmotivated. Sonalee talks about behavioral strategies to keep positive momentum going or to re-engage with your goals and Rupal reflects on how she keeps herself going. 
The Desi Doubts podcast—brought to you by the explosive and wildly successful 501(3)(c) nonprofit South Asian Americans for Change—tackles stigmas, limiting beliefs and misinformation that come with being South Asian. Cohosts Sonalee Joshi, PhD (researcher, therapist, writer, visual artist) and Rupal Joshi (Co-founder of SAAFC, lawyer, single mom) delve deep in to conversations that are filled with laughs, tips backed by expertise and research, and real lived experience, so you can reframe your mindset on mental health and wellness to live your BEST life, on your OWN terms (not based on stigmas and misinformation that no longer serve us). 

The first step to making any change is to acknowledge what isn’t working and to accept that we need intervention. In this episode, Rupal Joshi and Dr. Sonalee Joshi talk about what kickstarted their mental health journeys and how they knew it was time to seek help. Rupal discusses how responding to someone else’s mental health journey led her to look inward, and Sonalee reflects on how advocating for her mental health as a teenager led her to a career as a clinical psychologist. Sonalee also talks about the research behind making behavioral changes. 
The Desi Doubts podcast—brought to you by the explosive and wildly successful 501(3)(c) nonprofit South Asian Americans for Change—tackles stigmas, limiting beliefs and misinformation that come with being South Asian. Cohosts Sonalee Joshi, PhD (researcher, therapist, writer, visual artist) and Rupal Joshi (Co-founder of SAAFC, lawyer, single mom) delve deep in to conversations that are filled with laughs, tips backed by expertise and research, and real lived experience, so you can reframe your mindset on mental health and wellness to live your BEST life, on your OWN terms (not based on stigmas and misinformation that no longer serve us). 
References
Prochaska, J. O., & Norcross, J. C. (2002). Stages of Change. In J. C. Norcross (Ed.), Psychotherapy relationships that work: Therapist contributions and responsiveness to patients (pp. 303–313). Oxford University Press.
Mental Health America: Finding Help: When to Get it and Where to Go https://www.mhanational.org/finding-help-when-get-it-and-where-go 

In the first episode of the Desi Doubts Podcast, Rupal and Sonalee Joshi (not related!) share why they created this space and open up about their own journeys. Together, they explore how Desi Doubts cuts through the noise to deliver science-backed insights, relatable stories, and practical tools that help listeners take the first steps on their mental health journeys.